interLUDE: Paths of the Warriors
by THE Xenomorph
Summary: The turtles have lost their home once again and a new member of Orginization XIII has risen. Times are dark but the turtles aren't quitting.
1. Gawking Glory

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Gawking Glory**_

"It's big..." Donatello said as he stared forward. A few weeks after the Planeteers got their powers back and almost a week after the Maximals got their act back together the turtles were bum rushed from the sewers by the expanding ranks of the Morlocks. The GI Joes knew the turtles would need a safe and secure place to stay and quickly offered their base. Three days after that they rebuilt the Brotherhood Boarding house and gave it to the turtles complete with a brand new security system.

"This is just what we can see mind you." Raphael smiled proudly. He had helped with the building of the actual house.

"Wow..." Michaelangelo smiled. "I like it."

"They got a HALF-PIPE!" Gecko called from the backyard.

"He's going to break his neck back there..." Leonardo groaned.

"Don't worry I'll keep an eye on him Leo." Mikey smiled as he grabbed his own board and ran to the back.

"That's not even the half of what we got." Raph pulled out a digital pad as did Donatello. "Check this stuff out Leo; six different training sections, a traditional dojo, a small brig and my personal favorite, private soundproof rooms!"

"That's..." Leonardo was actually impressed. "That's pretty neat. Can I see?"

"Here ya go." Raph handed him the digital pad. "Take a look a the bathrooms we all got..."

"They've got jaccuzies..." Leonardo blinked. "Why are two simulated hot springs?"

"Figured you'd want something like that." Raph smiled again.

"Raph..." Leonardo hugged his brother. "I love you!"

"Ah, hey, offa me Leo, people are watchin'." Raph blushed as only a turtle could.

"Sensei, look at this..." Leonardo handed Splinter the pad. Splinter merely arched an eyebrow. "Sorry sensei, but this house is wonderful!"

"Indeed it is my sons..." Splinter nodded. "But it would be equally as wonderful it were a simple house. Would it not?"

"Eh..." Donatello and Raph gave a wavering look.

"It would Splinter, but think about it. Now we have the room to train and not accidentally swing into each other. We can finally all relax in non-destructive ways." Leonardo glanced at Raphael.

"To be fair, I go to Xavier's for that." Raph countered with a superior sniff.

Splinter merely sighed. "I shall go to my room."

"Let me help you sensei." Leonardo took his Sensei's heaviest bag.

"Thank you Leonardo." Splinter smiled.

The turtles then made their paths weaving into and out of the house as they moved all their stuff into the house and the rooms. Around noon however, a crowd of people began to make noise by the fences. They were protesting the turtles moving into the area. Soon after that the X-Men showed up to help the turtles finish customizing their rooms. Pietro and Toad joined them along with Ma-ti and the Key bearers.

"Jeez..." Riku looked out the window at the angry mob. "You'd think they'd be preparing..."

"They don't know." Jean said as she used her telekinesis to spread the paint evenly across the walls.

Riku gave the X-Man a questioning look but shrugged, a slight understanding crossed his face. "They would probably just blame mutants anyway."

"Yeah..." Roxas sneered. "Buncha jerks." He accidentally painted over Sora's hand. "Ooops."

"Huh?" Sora looked at his hands and gave goofy smile. "Don't worry Roxas, we're supposed to get messy while painting.

"Hey!" Pietro came zooming in to the front room. "Anyone seen Gecko?"

"He's in his room..." Sora said.

"Where's Betsy?" Jean asked immediately after hearing that.

A shrill scream filled house as Kitty came running down the stairs, her face was paler than Rogue's.

"Kitty?" Jean asked.

"Gecko... Betsy... Making out..." Kitty shuddered. "Almost more..."

"Blackmail the friend time!" Pietro smiled as he zoomed up the stairs.

"Ever notice how most questions answer themselves around here?" Sora asked as he playfully painted over Roxas' hand.

"Yup, kinda handy really." Roxas smiled as he retaliated with a paintbrush to the side of Sora's face.

Meanwhile in the kitchen Mikey was busy making lunch with Naminé and Kairi helping. He was busy measuring the temperature of the seven different pizzas and eight different entrees that everyone ordered when Kitty came in shaking. Mikey quickly rushed to defend his food but was quickly pushed aside by Jean.

"What was that scream?" Scott came rushing in.

"Kitty walked in on Gecko and Betsy making out..." Jean sighed.

"Oh..." Scott knew better. "There's more isn't there?"

"I think there might be another Sex-Ed class." Jean groaned as she remembered the last one.

Scott merely froze in horror. "I think we should have a private talk with them instead." He suggested as opposed to the horrifying alternative. "Then we never speak of this to anyone."

"I shall speak with Gecko." Splinter appeared from what seemed like nowhere.

"Aye!" Mikey and Scott both jumped in surprise.

"Then it is agreed." Splinter said as he made his way to the stairs.

"You know all this room lets him do that way too often..." Mikey gasped.

"I'd think you'd be used to it." Scott said.

"In the sewers there wasn't a lot of room for him to hide and do that in. Now it's like he's always testing us." Mikey tasted his soup carefully. "Could you tell everyone the soup's done if they want any."

"Ok..." Scott said as he and Jean walked out of the kitchen.

"Don't make a move." Mikey said, his back was turned to Kitty, but his innate ninja senses told him that his cinnamon rolls were in danger and he quickly turned around to recover them. "You are a lethal threat to this kitchen and I will guard it with my life. That is my ninja way."

"What?" Kitty asked, slightly confused.

"He's been watching Naruto." Raph said as he walked in and grabbed a roll.

"Those are for dinner!" Mikey shouted.

"Now it's my snack." Raph smiled as he bit into it. "Seriously though, we have an alarm system just for you in our kitchen."

"Hey that's not fair I'm still learning." Kitty pouted.

"Well here's a tip even I know." Raph smiled an pointed to the smoke alarm. "That's not a timer."

"You're a jerk." Kitty blew Raph a raspberry. "I don't know what Lisa sees in you." She said as she stamped out in a huff.

"Wait... what?" Raph choked on his roll and then followed Kitty out begging her for more info.

"It's a mad house." Naminé said in awe.

"Ma-ti did say it'd get a bit weird here." Kairi said.

"At least we actually remembered to make snacks..." Naminé sighed. "For the place that has a restaurant built into it."

"Awww, don't worry Squirt." Mikey smiled. "At least you thought ahead." He sat two salads next to the girls. "Enjoy."

"Thanks Mikey." The girls said in unison.

"No Problem." Mikey smiled. "Get away from there!" Mikey turned to see Kurt just about to grab a roll.

"But Raph..." Kurt whimpered.

"At dinner..." Mikey shot Kurt a glance.

"I need foood..." Kurt tried to give Mikey a puppy-eyed look.

"My ninja way..." Mikey growled.

"Well mine is to feed me when I'm hungry!" Kurt grabbed two rolls and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Hey!" Mikey shouted. "Why do my rolls keep getting roll-napped?"

"Because they're good." Pietro zoomed in and grabbed the entire plate and then zoomed back out.

"Roll thief!" Mikey shouted as he waved his spatula in anger.

In Donatello's room things were a bit different as Arcade had shown up to help Forge and Donny set up a massive computer lab. Don's room didn't even resemble a traditional room after ten minutes. Wires were tapped and scattered to walls, doors and the ceiling. The only high point of untangling, re-tangling and reorganizing the the entire mass of wires and plugs was when Pietro zoomed in and gave everyone a roll and some juice despite Mikey's extreme kitchen lock down.

"You know..." Donny said as he held up a tangled set of wires that actually looked as if someone had played Cat's Cradle with it. "I think I should just get new wires."

"Oh come on!" Forge snickered. "Wire hunting is the best part of moving."

"He's right..." Arcade took a chunk out of his roll. "It is."

"Right, well, I'd rather just get back online..." Donny said.

"Why? Not enough porn on your computer as is?" Arcade cracked.

"No, I have a raid tonight." Donny growled. "And what kind of porn am I supposed to look at any way?"

Arcade and Forge both froze.

"The internet is for porn." Arcade said assuredly. "But mainly it's for massive amounts of data storage."

"He's right." Forge nodded.

"You two are such idiots." Donatello groaned.

"Not really..." Arcade said. "Rule 34."

"Not that again..." Forge groaned.

"What it's real!" Arcade said.

"There is not porn for every conceivable subject, without fail." Forge groaned.

"There is too!" Arcade said.

"There is not." Forge scoffed.

"You know my question is not whether or not it's a real universal law, but rather how is it you two can have such a heated argument about it every time you're in my prescience." Donatello sighed as he finished hooking up his computer's monitors. "All right hit the power switch."

As soon as Forge turned the power switch on every light in the house momentarily dimmed and then came back to life.

"Hey we're here!" April O'Neil shouted as she and Casey Jones came in through the garage entrance. Raphael was bust painting the hall nearby and poked his head out with a smile.

"Yo! April! Where ya been?" Raph gave April a hug and even gave Casey a friendly hug. "Man this place is great!"

"I'll say it's better than our place." Case smiled.

"Ah? Ey, I knew you'd two end up together. But seriously where have you two been?" Raphael asked.

"Mostly doing some scout work for SHIELD." April said. "You wouldn't believe how busy I've been since Logan introduced me to Mr. Fury."

"Yeah, she scouts out places I watch her back. She busts technological wonders and I get to bring them down beforehand." Casey laughed.

"You guys are SHIELD?" Raph gulped as he looked back towards the hall. He heard a familiar "Snikt" sound and gulped in fear. "Crap... run..."

"What?" April asked.

Then Rina came out from around the corner with Jubilee and Mona Lisa trying to hold her back.

"Oh jeez, her!" Casey jumped back. "Hey kid, we aren't here for you, you got your deal. We're just friends with the turtles."

Rina shot a glare towards Raph, he simply nodded. Rina then retracted her claws. "Do not come near me." She snarled it and went back to the hall.

"Oh jeez..." Raph let out the breath he had been holding. "You were nearly shish kabobs." Raph laughed and then showed his friends to the kitchen.

Up in his room Gecko was leaning against his wall while Splinter sat at the edge of his bed. He had just finished a long uncomfortable talk with his guardian and was not in any moods to talk to anyone, but Splinter was no where near done talking to him.

"Master Splinter, I know it's not allowed, I know. Ok, it's just... " Gecko shifted. "We get lost in it sometimes, most of the time we barely realize what we're doing. And now we haven't gone that far she doesn't want to."

Splinter merely nodded as Gecko continued his small rant. He nodded and understood as the young man admitted to his dislike of martial arts and preferred to learn what he wanted to learn. He also nodded and understood when Gecko said he did not want to be a ninja.

Splinter put his hand up and like everyone did when he did so, Gecko quieted himself. "I have said many times before that I cannot and will not force you to be a ninja. What you wish to study is up to you. All I ask is that you keep your honor and her honor intact."

"I do." Gecko sighed. "God it's just so frustrating..." Gecko snapped. "I still hate him." Splinter whapped Gecko's knee with his walking stick.

"Ow, right no using that word." Gecko hopped up and down as he grabbed his knee in an attempt to subdue the stinging sensation.

"Hate is what turns us into monsters." Splinter sighed. "And your anger is so great right now, but you can't escape it with this relationship."

"You think I don't know that?" Gecko sighed, "I'm not trying to escape anything. Betsy just makes everything worth fighting for."

"You are her knight then?" Splinter smiled.

"I like to think so." Gecko smiled.

"Yes..." Splinter frowned. "It seems all my sons have come to find their own way and not all are they way of the ninja."

"Huh?" Gecko raised one of his eyes to look at Master Splinter.

"They have learned so much from me..." Splinter sighed. "It pains me that I have nothing left to teach, except to those who will put forward the effort. To teach what remains of the path of a ninja."

"Splinter, you're scaring your ward here." Gecko said.

"I apologize, but you will understand later tonight." Splinter sighed.


	2. Splinter Master no more

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Splinter; Master no more**_

That night the backyard of the newly dubbed Turtle Tower, they let Toad speak while they came up with the name, it caught on like a virus in plague movie, the turtles and most of their friends were enjoying the rebuilt home. The Misfits, X-Men and Maximals were all present. The Planeteers, Key bearers, King Mickey, Donald and Goofy were all busy following up on some rumors of Mal being sighted in the Nevada dessert, most of the Joes were with them.

The Misfits and X-Men were of course trying to kill each other in their own unique semi psychotic/playful manner. The only ones not trying to kill each other were Betsy, Scott, Jean and Althea. Instead they were all carrying Mikey's massive trays of food out with the help of Maximals.

"Jeez..." Rattrap gasped. "I mean what's in here?"

"Food." Mikey said as he and Fred set up a series of tables. "Thanks, Fred dude, I couldn't have finished with out your help."

"No problem Mikey." Fred said as he chewed on a roll. "Thanks for the rolls."

"Well thank you for asking first." Mikey smiled.

"Say, anyone seen Kurt?" Gecko asked as he came outside from his room.

"He's around." Mikey frowned and narrowed his eyes.

Meanwhile up in a hall closet Kurt, Bobby and Pietro were bound together in an extremely compromising position. It was the only reason Kurt had not teleported out of the closet.

"So what'd you do?" Pietro asked Bobby.

"I tried to take from the second batch of rolls." Bobby sighed.

Back in the yard almost everyone was unaware of the absence of the three missing mutants. In fact only Wanda noticed her bother was missing and then it was only followed by a paranoid fear of him causing trouble. Soon though, the yard looked as if it had been prepared by a professional catering service, in part due to a brief appearance from Perfection and Chybee, who decided to help with the set up. Perfection disappeared soon after while Chybee stayed behind and played with the other toddlers.

After a few odd moments when Kurt finally did teleport directly into the pool with Pietro and Bobby still attached they groups got down to doing what teenagers do best, they ate and caused trouble. Mainly though they just caused trouble and almost started a Misfit inspired food fight. Thankfully the young Maximal Sly defused the situation with a well placed whoopee cushion. The rest of the night was spent making fart jokes at various people's expense. This was how Bobby learned that Ash had a severe hatred of whoopee cushions. It is also how he ended up hiding in the broom closet again.

As the night came to a close however, Splinter rose from his seat and with a mere cough had everyone's attention. It was at this moment that the turtles and even Gecko had some uniform fear they could not identify.

"Thank you for coming to help us move in to our new home." Splinter bowed to everyone. "You are truly good allies and even better friends. You care for your children as I have cared for mine for the past eighteen years." Splinter looked at his sons. "I have taught all I can teach to you my sons." The turtles were obviously stunned. "I cannot teach you what you cannot learn."

"Master Splinter?" Leonardo asked in shock, a deep fear spread through his soul.

"No Leonardo. I will not be leaving you." Splinter said calmly. The turtles relaxed a bit, but not by much. "But to teach you the true path of a ninja, is something I cannot do. You must be fully committed and determined to take this path. None of you have such determination."

"Master Splinter!" The turtles spoke all at once protesting their Sensei's decision.

"Enough!" Splinter shouted. "I cannot teach you what remains, you each in your own way have assured me your path is not that of a ninja!" With that Splinter sat down and his sons, disappointed with themselves slowly vanished inwards to the house.

"Yoshi..." Gabrielle spoke when Splinter sat back down. "Are you sure?"

"Only one of my sons has the talent to continue, the others have the desire, but not the heart." Splinter sighed. "So it is the way of the Foot must truly die."

Gecko merely stood against the half pipe during all of this. He was shocked, but at the same time relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about martial arts training. Still the turtles had been like four of the greatest older brother he had never had and it hurt that their dreams were gone. So when he overheard Splinter's conversation he had to find out what he meant.

"Nice night." Betsy said as she walked over to Gecko.

"Yeah..." Gecko's mood was obvious from how softly he spoke. "I think Splinter's testing them."

"He isn't." Betsy said. "Xavier asked face to face."

"Then what did he mean by one has the talent?" Gecko asked.

"He meant..." Blind Master walked up behind Gecko, who for once was not surprised by a ninja being behind him. "That only one of his sons has the heart to do what a ninja is actually trained to do."

"Kill in secret?" Gecko scoffed. "I don't know... if those guys aren't ninjas I don't know who are."

"A ninja is more than an assassin or scout. A ninja is a true master of the shadows and of stealth." Blind Master explained. "Take a look at the turtles, Leonardo for example; he has so much faith in his master, so much belief in honor, to the point that he has begun to shun the shadows as his prime tool for fighting."

"Yeah so?" Gecko asked.

"He's acting more like a samurai day after day and Splinter can see this." Blind Master said. "Raphael, is a fairly obvious case, he's a brute and a berserker."

"Ok, you got me there." Gecko admitted. "But Donny's still got the shadows on his side, he's still a ninja."

"Donatello..." Blind Master sighed, "When was the last time you saw Donatello practice with his brothers on his own accord."

Gecko was stumped, he hadn't seen that since he met them, except once when he tried to teach Gecko how to use a staff. "OK, so maybe they aren't all ninjas, but can't be saying that Mikey has what it takes..."

"Michaelangelo is special when it comes to his skills. He is physically weaker than Raphael or Leonardo, not as intelligent as Donatello is, but despite all that his skills of perception, cunning and his incredible ability to stay hidden when he needs to are the qualities a Ninja must truly possess." Blind Master smiled. "Most people cannot not be taught this and that is why Splinter cannot teach them any more."

"But Toad's training to be a ninja." Gecko said flatly. "Toad."

"Yeah, so what?" Toad asked as he hopped out from behind a tree.

"See, he can't even keep his mouth shut long enough to stay hidden." Gecko jerked his thumb towards Toad.

"Hey, I'm still learning, like the Turtles were years ago." Toad said defiantly.

"Many, many years ago maybe." Gecko scoffed.

"I could still kick your but." Toad blew a raspberry.

"Wanna try it?" Gecko growled.

"Bring it Gex!" Toad presented himself ready for battle.

Gecko almost rushed in but Betsy put her hand on his shoulder and stopped him with a simple look. "You're lucky." Gecko sneered as Betsy lead him away.

"Whipped!" Toad laughed and made a whipping motion.

"Now can I?" Gecko asked Betsy.

"Now you can." Betsy barely held back her own growl.

"EAT TAIL FROG BOY!" Gecko said as he ran and jumped past Toad and hit him with the broad side of his tail. Toad went flying into a tree but caught himself quickly enough that he recovered and launched himself back at Gecko.

How about a leg, yo!" Toad delivered one of his kicks and sent Gecko back into the half-pipe.

Gecko was about to retaliate, but Blind Master and Splinter both stepped in to stop the fight.

"Enough!" Splinter shouted. "If there is a problem you will settle it in a civil manner."

"He insulted Betsy!" Gecko growled.

"I was insulting you. If I wanted to insult Betsy I'd a called her purple head Punky Brewster." Toad snapped.

"What?" Betsy glared at Toad with dangerous intent.

Gecko growled before shouting. "I'll make you eat those word Frog!"

"It's Toad, not that you'd be able to remember that what with your constant complaining!" Toad shouted.

"What?" Gecko's eyes dilated with obvious rage and it took the Turtles, who came rushing out moments earlier, to hold him back.

"Someone shut him up please!" Raphael snapped as he held Gecko's waist.

"He's just speaking his mind, maybe you should teach Gecko some more control!" Lance shouted as Fred held Toad back.

"Dude, Lance, everyone, shut up!" Mikey shouted. "We keep arguing we're gonna kill each other before the freaking heartless get here!"

"Where's Ma-ti when you need him?" Scott groaned as he tried to help the others settle what was quickly escalating into a royal rumble.

"Helping people." Perfection said as he appeared. "Jeez, you all have got to settle down." Perfection then pointed to the New Mutants who were busy making bets on who they thought would win. "Look at the example you're setting!"

"He's right you know!" Amara shouted. "And I have all my money on the Turtles so you'd better win!"

"AMARA!" Jean shouted.

"I have my money on Scott and Jean!" Roberto said.

"My money's on Bedlam." Arcade said with a satisfied smile.

"Bedlam?" Perfection froze when he realized the chaotic mutant had disappeared from his senses. "Oh he's in the house..." Seconds later the entire security system activated and began to randomly fire on guests and turtle alike.

"Ok..." Perfection shouted as he provided cover for everyone to hid under. "New rule: No fighting around Jessie."

"I second that!" Gecko shouted.

"I third it!" Toad agreed.

"I'm still not through with you." Gecko shouted over the gun fire.

"Later, right now we have to survive your house's security system." Toad shouted back as everyone ran for cover.


	3. Shinobi

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Shinobi**_

A few days later the Turtles came rushing down the hall of a joint COBRA/Foot Clan base. Gecko was in the turtle van relaying the team their coordinates and any other vital info that they needed. However the team's morale coupled with the Foot Clan's exceptional numbers cost the Turtles greatly and Gecko found himself charging head first into a small group of Foot Clan members as if he were made to take down rhinos. Soon the five members of the team found themselves in an odd situation; they were loosing.

"Oh man..." Raph spat, blood trickled down his jaw. "What's with these guys?"

"They aren't Foot-Tech, that's for sure." Donny said as he blocked several blows.

"I don't know what they are, but my ribs are killing me." Gecko coughed.

"Donny, can you?" Leonardo looked at Gecko with great concern. He did not like having the untrained Gecko along on their missions, but with April and Casey working with SHIELD they had little help available.

"Don't worry about it!" Gecko snapped as he pulled himself back to a standing position. "I've been worse off."

"Yeah..." Toad snapped from no where, "Like when I was about to hand you your own tail a few days ago!"

As soon as Toad spoke the Misfits came from nowhere and the Foot immediately pulled out, several of the higher ranking ninjas even pulled out smoke balls as a distraction. Unfortunately as soon as the Foot left the tensions between Gecko and Toad rose up again, this time however everyone was prepared and they held their appropriate team mate back.

"Thanks guys, I don't how this happened." Leonardo sighed. "We just..."

"You're off your game." Avalanche said. "It can happen when you feel like... well..."

"I know." Leonardo scolded himself.

"Man, what is with these two?" Raphael snapped as he used a full nelson to restrain Gecko.

"I don't know." Wavedancer sighed, "But Toad's been really aggressive since the whole Captain Darkness thing." She quickly knocked her boyfriend out with a simple pressure point technique. Raphael on the other hand didn't have to do anything because Gecko calmed down immediately afterwards.

"Let me talk to him." Spirit offered.

"Will ya?" Raph scoffed "I swear that kid's got a thicker skull than I do."

Spirit followed Gecko back to the Turtle Van where he confronted the angry teen. Something he had been doing a lot of since he began working with the Misfits. Gecko merely turned an eye backwards to keep contact with the Joe.

"Some thing is bothering you." Spirit said.

"Yeah..." Gecko snapped, "That little punk!" Gecko pointed his finger accusingly, but yanked it away.

"You don't mean it, I can tell." Spirit smiled.

"It's weird, but I'm cool with him most of the time, but lately he's just been setting me off, like somethings wrong with him." Gecko snapped as he whipped out a measuring tape. "It's like all the good things I used to feel about him are just vanishing before my eyes, but I can't do anything."

"Is there anyone else you feel like that about?" Spirit asked.

"Not to this degree..." Gecko growled and slammed his board to the ground. "What is _wrong_ with me?"

"It could be the mutagen has affected your aggression, or a rivalry between reptiles and amphibians is sparking in your genes." Spirit said.

"This has nothing to do with genes..." Gecko said as he sat on the edge of the open van door. He saw the news vans approaching and quickly closed the door just as the turtles came running.

"We're gonna talk later." Leonardo waved a finger at Gecko. "But thanks for being there for us." Leo's stern face let up for a moment.

"Hey, you ninjas can't hog all the glory." Gecko laughed lightly.

When The Misfits got back to the Pit though, they were discouraged to find that Toad had immediately withdrawn to his room. The entire team was at the door begging for him to come out, but nothing happened. Then as they stood there begging Althea passed out and Toad's door opened to reveal a very confused and very groggy Toad.

"What the..." Todd looked around. "How'd I get here..."

"Whoa Todd..." Lance caught the collapsing Toad. "What do you mean?"

"Last thing I remember was fighting those Heartless, one'em tried ta eat me and that Riku guy pulled me out..." Todd mumbled. "How'd I get here?"

"Ok, that does not bode well..." Pietro said. "I wonder if one of them hitched a ride in his heart..." He saw Toad pass out. "That stone would have protected him..."

"But not all the way..." Lance said. "EVERYONE GET BACK!"

The team jumped away from Toad's room until Wanda tossed a hex bolt in and then slowly she and Arcade worked their way in while the others rushed Althea and Todd to the infirmary. They looked the room over from top to bottom and found little more than the usual Todd findings. Even a quick scan of his emails showed nothing new coming in or going out.

"Ok, so where is it?" Wanda asked.

"Maybe..." Arcade thought for a second. "Maybe it already left him."

"Well where would it go I mean..." Wanda's thoughts froze. "Oh my god, Leo!"

"He's the perfect target right now." Arcade blinked and grabbed his cell phone, quickly he dialed the number and after a few seconds his face paled. "The number's disconnected."

"Oh god..." Wanda gasped. "We need to get Hawk.

The Turtles however, had already found out about their little stowaway at this point. However it was not after Leonardo...

When the turtles had arrived home that evening they were quickly greeted and confronted by their Master. He had not yet revealed that he only planed to continue teaching Mikey, and it weighed heavily on his heart. He greeted them all openly and with a great hug, but then turned towards them and as he had been doing for the past few days began to express how they all needed to find their places in life. After that the turtles dispatched to their rooms, all except for Gecko who went to the kitchen for a quick snack.

As he sat at the kitchen stool pondering how he had so quickly become enraged by Toad he couldn't help but feel that same sensation come from a general direction. A sheer wrongness that rode up and down his spine like a stampede of wild horses. He sat down his cup and followed the sensation, it took him past the rooms of his newly adopted 'brothers' and straight to Splinter's most inner sanctum. He stood hesitantly and knocked.

"Come in Gecko." Splinter's voice called from the other side.

Gecko walked in and closed the door behind him. He looked at Splinter a full second before shuddering in fear, this was the same feeling he had earlier only this time it was much stronger, and far more confident. He saw the man that took him in and gave him a new life, but this man was somehow different, just like Toad he could sense nothing positive on his Master. Soon he heard the doors of the turtles open and they too knocked on the door.

"Master Splinter, are you all right?" Leonardo's voice came.

"I am fine Leonardo." The thing that was Splinter responded. "Gecko and I are just talking."

"Yeah..." Gecko said softly. "Just talking."

"Oh..." Leonardo sounded disappointed, but Gecko heard the sword come out of it's sheath. "We'll come back later then." He heard the turtles walk off and his breathe escaped him.

"Oh..." Gecko groaned as Splinter's body became covered in a pitch black, his eyes became yellow sockets and his kindly chuckle became a twisted cackle. "Give me a break..."

The window's crashed in from all around as the Turtles stormed their Master's room. Though it had taken longer to sense, they too felt the evil that now held their Master. In flurry they launched their attacks at their master possessed and each one was blocked. They fell back, Leonardo grabbed Gecko and they all ran for the basement.

"OK, what the hell was that?" Raphael asked as they took the elevator down.

"That is... was Master Splinter." Gecko coughed. "It's a Heartless, or something now..."

"Master Splinter..." The turtles felt the shock immediately. They had lost him only once before and they did not plan on loosing him again.

"We gotta free'im." Raphael said as the elevator hit bottom and they poured out into their training center. Then the lights died. "Ahhh... perfect..."

"Come on Raph, we've done this before." Mikey laughed, "Just like Splinter taught us."

"Yeah, well that thing has all his lessons..." Raph spat back.

"Not his hearth though..." Gecko huffed. "Not yet, I can feel it."

"Well ok then Mr. Mystical." Raph smirked, "Let's kick us some heartless butt."

"You guys do it..." Gecko collapsed. "My ribs are killing me again."

"Jeez, you and your ribs kid..." Raph smiled, "Don't worry, we'll get him back."

The turtles smiled to their adopted brother and then vanished. Gecko just collapsed, and in the darkness two green hand pulled him into the perfect hiding spot.

"Be safe little dude..." Gecko heard Mikey's voice before he blacked out.

The turtles had their plan set up perfectly. When the creature that possessed their master came crashing down through the elevator and into the rooms below they had already steeled themselves for battle, each one was hidden perfectly in the shadows. No code but that of the ninjas was present in their heart. Each one was ready to die to defend their Master and their clan, even from each other.

As it passed under the main arch way to Leonardo's training room the door closed and the creature cackled. It tried to provoke a response from it's hidden enemies, but got nothing. Soon it made it's way to Donatello's training room, and stopped, something in it stirred as it looked around the more advanced dojo. It shook it's head in distaste.

"Did Splinter ever come down here?" Donny asked Leo.

"No, I don't think so, why?" Leo asked.

"I think he thought we were all... breaking apart..." Donny realized. "He thought he was loosing us Leo, that's why he couldn't teach us."

"What, but that's insane." Leo hissed, but he knew it made sense.

Then the creature came to Michaelangelo's training room, a typical ninja dojo. It laughed and moved on as the turtles quickly shut doors behind it. Then it came to Raph's dojo and it froze completely, not because of the style, but because along all the walls were the pictures that Splinter had taken of them when he once found a disposable camera. They all thought it would be nothing more than fun and games, and Splinter eventually left the camera alone, but the pictures clearly showed Raphael's pursuit of keeping his family together. The creature then shuddered and collapsed into itself.

Splinter sat in the room. "My sons..."

"Splinter!" The turtles came from their hiding spots.

"You must kill me..." Splinter looked them all in the eyes as the darkness crept back over him.

"What?" Leonardo gasped.

"We can't do that!" Raphael shouted.

"He's gone nuts!" Mikey screamed.

"Master?" Donny looked as his Sensei.

"My sons..." Splinter groaned.

"We have no choice." Leonardo turned his head in shame as the creature once again took over their master.

"Leo?!" Raphael shouted in anger.

"Raph, we have to do it or he'll suffer worse than death." Leonardo caught his brother's anger and for once shared it, and then each of them silently nodded.

"Mikey, Donny, tie his arms up, I'll get the legs." Raph said as he dove at the creature's legs and proceeded to lock them into a figure four leg lock. Donny and Mikey each used a set of steel chains to hold the creature's arms steady.

"Forgive me Master..." Leo said silently.

"Leo!" Raph shouted. "It's forgive US."

Leonardo nodded. "Forgive u..." Leonardo barely dodge the tail of the creature but then quickly wrapped it around a steel pole. "Oh great, I knew I forgot something!"

"Leo, you ok?" Raph shouted, his brother was out of his sight.

"Yeah, but I gotta keep the tail steady." Leo shouted.

Just then the door slid open and a wobbly Gecko wandered in. He looked at Splinter and the turtles and immediately knew what was happening. He wobbled over to Leo's fallen sword and picked it up.

"Gecko, kill it, save Splinter's heart!" Raph shouted.

"I can't kill it..." Gecko mumbled, "Not while it's in Master Splinter."

"Gecko!" Leo shouted, "Please don't argue, we don't have a choice!"

"YOU WANT A HEART!" Gecko shouted, a strength reverberated through him like he had never felt before, "YOU WANT A HEART, YOU COME GET MINE, BECAUSE THAT OLD RAT GAVE ME EVERYTHING WHEN I HAD NOTHING AND I'LL BE GOD-DAMNED IF I LET YOU TAKE HIM! SO COME GET ME!" At the last words the creature vanished into Splinter, whose shadow form fell back and away from all it's bindings, and the rocketed forward from his eyes into Gecko.

"GECKO!" Raph let go his hold instantly and ran towards the younger member.

"Stay away..." Gecko growled as he held his ribs. "Stay away..." His voice was beginning to warp.

"No..." Splinter groaned. "Do not let him die... my sons... save your brother..."

"Don't worry Master Splinter." Leonardo said confidently, "We won't let it take him."

"But how do we stop it?" Mikey said as he and Donny came closer, ready to fight, but not to kill.

"I don't know..." Leonardo admitted.

A sudden screech from the halls told the turtles they had guests. Soon the Misfits piled into the room, Toad and Althea strangely absent. Larry looked forward from his chair and groaned. "Not this..."

"You guys..." Raph said as he hoisted Splinter into Leonardo's arms. "Gecko needs help..."

"Gecko..." Gecko's body shook with laughter as the darkness melted over him. "Gekco's not here right now, please leave a message at the tone." It looked up and spread dark tentacles all over the place. "Beeeeep..."

"You know at times like these we could use a good trump card." Mikey laughed.

"We have one..." Larry said, "Up stairs..."

* * *

**AN: This one's actually almost over, if only because the TMNT are possibly the most stable group in this multiverse. And if you haven't figured it out, they're all still going to be ninjas, but with their own twists. Well all except Gecko...**

**He might live and he might die... who knows what'll happen next... Maybe you do...**

**Wraith: No, no I don't I'm just sitting here reading what you call fiction in an attempt to bore myself to sleep.**

**Death is a cruel judge of art...**

**Perfection: I like pie.**

**And chaos doesn't have the attention span...**

**Toad: Why am I still here?**

**I don't know, but enjoy the show.**

**Toad: And why did you make me possessd by the evil heartless spwn thingy?**

**Wraith: paving in plot holes.**

**No, it's because I needed to show that even the most powerful beings can fall to them.**

**Perfection: And Plot holes.**

**Only a little!**

**Toad: Can I make a few suggestions then?**

**Go ahead...**

**Toad/whispers into Xeno's ear\**

**Oh... that's just good... Ok... yeah? I like it too...**


	4. A part of the family

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**A part of the family**_

"GET DOWN!" Mikey shouted as everyone came rushing out of the turtles house.

"What the heck?" Cyclops was holding the X-Men at the perimeter where the mob of FoH had returned from, there was even a new splinter group calling itself "Genetic Purity" that seemed to target mutates.

"Get down!" Raph echoed Mikey's warning.

"It's got Gecko!" Avalanche shouted as he pulled Larry from the chair which was almost instantly swallowed by a lashing black tendril.

Most of the New Mutants who were helping hold the crow back turned to see Psylocke collapse to the ground and shake. Jean immediately ran to the younger Psychic's side and propped her up.

"Betsy, what's wrong?" Jean asked, knowing full well the answer.

"They've got him..." She mumbled.

"Summers, we gotta stop that thing..." Avalanche gasped as he loaded Larry into a the Velocity.

"No!" Raph snapped as he pushed both taller young men against the large jet. "This is family business..."

"We'll handle it..." Mikey said, a strange dark tone laced his voice. "We'll save Gecko."

"The lizard boy's my responsibility..." Depth Charge flew in from nowhere. "Or did you forget what his parent's asked me to do." He transformed into his robot form and turned to the crowd. "YOU GET OUT OF HERE!"

His voice rang over the screaming just as a pitch black form tore through the floor of the house and ripped the ceiling apart. Depth Charge turned to see the black and twisted creature. The creature saw him and froze, just like it had when Splinter was confronted with the love of his sons.

"It can't take the positive feedback of emotion!" Donny yelled as he and Leonardo mad their way out of the remnants of the house.

"We have to overload it!" Leonardo shouted.

"Wit what?" Raph shouted back.

"I don't know Raph..." Leonardo snapped. "What could possibly snap..." Leonardo's gaze fell on Psylocke and he pointed to her as several black tentacles shot forward and attached themselves to the fence that surrounded the property.

"Leo, I know you're half full kinda guy, but this thing'll rip her to shreds." Raph snapped. The tentacles spread out and began to merge.

"Gecko won't let it." Leo said confidently. The tentacles, now fully merged, made a tent over the property.

"It's worth a try Raph, I mean her and Pietro are like his best friends." Mikey said.

"Yeah..." Raph said, "Well I'm not letting them go out there alone." Raph said as he ran over to Psylocke, dodging several tentacles as he ran. When he slid into the fence near her he popped his head up.

"I can't reach him." Psylocke blinked in fear. The tentacles began to whip wildly over the tented area and now everyone was seeking cover from the heavy tendrils.

"Yes you can." Raph said, "Even if you can't reach his mind, you know his heart will always know you." Raph yanked Psylocke to her feet. "Now come on Juliet, we're saving your Romeo."

"Alone?" Psylocke asked.

"No, not alone. HEY SPEEDY!" Raph shouted. Soon Quicksilver dodged his way over to Raph and Psylocke.

"What?" Quicksilver asked.

"You two get out there and keep him busy, I'll finish it with my brothers." Raph said. "Now get out there." Raph shouted as he ran back to the turtles.

"What's he mean by finish it?" Psylocke asked.

"They're going to have to kill him." Quicksilver blinked. "Come one we have to get him back before it's too late." Quicksilver yanked Psylocke forward towards the house and the raging creature.

"YO! Bobble eyes!" Quicksilver shouted up to the creature that he once called a friend. "Remember us?" He waved his arms frantically. The tendrils stopped wavering around wildly and quickly focused on Quicksilver creating strands of darkness the speedster could barely avoid.

Psylocke watched as Quicksilver dodged and tried to coax the creature into exhausting itself. She watched as it ignored the turtles climbing towards its head and she could not help but feel the fear of Gecko's panicked mind in the fray.

"_Dont' let it hurt you!" _Gecko's mind finally reached her own and Psylocke let the fact be known as she let out a powerful telekinetic push that grabbed the creature's attention and froze it in place, but it did not change back.

"PSYLOCKE, MOVE!" Quicksilver ran to move her but a tendril grabbed him and flung him into the Velocity with ease.

The creature approached Psylocke at an odd pace, almost like a puppy following a new scent. She looked up at the creature and did not fear it, but everyone else did.

"Is she going to do what I think..." Raph asked.

"Yeah..." Leo sighed. "She is..."

"Jeez..." Raph jumped from what he assumed to be about a thirty foot drop, when he landed a loud snap drew everyone's attention, and he charged forward. "Don't do it!" He shouted as he grabbed his leg. He ran and tackled Psylocke to the ground. "You think he put himself like this so you could do the same? Huh? He did this so no one else would have to!" Raph shouted.

"I'm sorry..." Psylocke sniffed, tears in her eyes told Raph that the young girl was just afraid of loosing Gecko. "I just don't want him to go."

"Betsy..." Raph summoned up all his courage and faced the beast on his broken leg. "Sometimes we have to let things go..." The creature reared up in anger. "And often times they don't come back." Raph kept his eyes locked as his brother leaped off it. "But we never, ever forget it..."

The creature froze and shuddered as it began collapsing inwards. Soon the darkness that permeated Gecko's form was nothing more than a large pool of sludge that was fighting to keep it's form and from the center of the sludge a pure blinding light shone and floated up.

"Is that what I think it is?" Quicksilver gasped from the Velocity.

"Yes." Larry said. "It's Gecko's heart."

"No!" Quicksilver shouted as he put all his strength into his legs and ran for all he was worth, taxing every muscle to work just that much faster and as he neared his friend's heart he saw several dark talons grab at it. He put everything he had into moving faster and before he knew it has was jumping the black sludge with Gecko's heart in hand. He landed and rolled into the fence where he looked back at the sludge which vanished in a shriek of anger leaving Gecko's seemingly lifeless body behind.

"Gecko!" Betsy ran to Gecko's side and hugged him close, tears freely left her face.

"We were to late." Leonardo growled.

"Gecko..." Quicksilver did not hold back the tears. "I'm sorry man, I failed."

At that moment a tear from Betsy fell on Gecko's face as one fell onto his heart from Pietro. Gecko's face came back from a gray sick and empty look to the colorful green it normally was. The heart in Pietro's hand yanked itself forward several times before Pietro let it go and it zoomed back into Gecko's chest.

"What just happened?" Pietro asked in shock as Gecko gasped for air.

"I think he found his way back..." Leonardo said in awe.

"I had some pretty good markers to go by..." Gecko smirked with his eyes closed.

"Well dude, you are a member of the family." Mikey laughed.

"Oh man..." Gecko winced.

"Let me guess, your ribs?" Raph chuckled.

"No my head, it's splitting..." Gecko grasped at his head.

"Oh man... it's not over is it?" Raph asked.

"You're the smart one aren't you?" A black portal opened up and the familiar yet altered form of Dr. Blight walked out with a warped looking Greedily and a young man that looked exactly like Gecko as a human. "His Nobody..." She gestured to the young man.

"Koxceg." The boy grinned evilly. "I like the old naming tradition. Tilgihx and Reedglyx prefer a new method."

"How does this crap keep happening to us?" Raphael asked.

As the boy focused his energy a black blade formed in his hands. "I think I'm going to enjoy this, well at least I'll be pretending anyway..."

"I don't think so..." Gecko growled while he forced himself to let go of Raphael. "You aren't going to hurt them... not if I can help it." Gecko took a quick kick boxing stance.

Koxceg laughed, "You think you're fists can beat my blade of darkness?"

"Let's test it out." Gecko charged forward and cracked his own Nobody in the jaw and sent him staggering back. "Yeah... I'd say they can."

"You will pay for that..." Koxceg pointed his blade at his original and then looked up.

When Koxceg looked up he was shocked to see over a hundred ninjas armed to the teeth ready to attack. He wisely held his ground with out attacking. Tilgihx said nothing but pulled him back quickly into the darkness.

"Sensei..." Gecko coughed as he collapsed to the ground once again. Raphael caught him immediately.

"We got problems..." Raph noted the Foot.

"Yeah Raph, we kinda noticed." Leo said sarcastically.

The foot remained motionless for a few moments before Karai's slender form made it's way through the ranks. She walked with a purpose and was almost completely unarmed. She stood before Splinter who was in the velocity.

"I have a request from my father." She kneeled before the master.

"Speak." Splinter said weakley.

"The Foot Clan was attacked a few months ago. My father was severely injured by the man called Release." Everyone heard this and snapped to attention. "Though my father had been prepared to offer a temporary truce to fight the oncoming Heartless, he now feels he must extend this truce to our mutual enemy."

"Fight along side the Foot." Raph sneered.

"You've gotta be crazy to think we'd trust you." Avalanche snapped.

"We don't have a choice." Leonardo said.

"We do not." Splinter nodded. "Tell your father the Turtles will agree to this truce."

"I shall." Karai looked to Cyclops for a response.

"Not my decision." Cyclops frowned ad Karai looked to General Hawk.

"The Joes will agree to a temporary truce, but you wont' be allowed on our base." Hawk frowned.

"General, you make it sound as if we aren't already there..." Karai smiled with a lingering slyness.

"Lady, we already busted them and have been feeding you false info." Hawk smiled right back, everyone else smiled slightly at that as well.

Karai sneered. "Very well, my father wishes to meet in a neutral area to make it official."

"We'll gather the others together then." Hawk said.

Karai bowed and slammed smoke pellets into the ground. When the smoke cleared the entirety of the Foot were gone. Everyone shrugged it off as the Turtles boarded the Velocity and once again headed to the safety of Xavier's mansion.

"Our freaking home man..." Raphael sighed as he looked out the window.

"I think it is time we returned to the shadows my sons." Splinter sat up in his stretcher.

"Master?" Leonardo asked. "I thought we were supposed to be trying to..."

Splinter held up his hands. "I was wrong. This world, the surface world is not fully ready for us. Not because of what made us what we are, but because of who we are."

"Ninjas?" Mikey asked.

"Yes." Splinter sighed. "Ninjas with a little Paladin in the mix." Splinter reached over and pat Gecko's hand, the unconscious young mutate merely smiled in his sleep.

"We need a new lair." Donny said.

"Not underground though..." Raph said defiantly.

"Raphael?" Splinter asked.

"You keep saying we're a normal family, what kind of family lives in abandoned sewer sections?" Raphael asked.

"Morlocks." Mikey said.

"And look at them, afraid of their own shadows and xenophobic to boot." Raph sneered. "But us, we're a real family..." Raphael looked at his master and father. "Please, father, let us live on the surface."

The turtles and Splinter all looked at Raphael in shock. He had never, in all their years together called Splinter "Father". At that moment Splinter's hear swelled and saddened at the same time.

"My son, we must remain hidden and the surface is far to obvious..." Splinter sighed. "But I see no reason to make sure we ourselves do not have easy access to the surface."

"The Mass device was destroyed though." Donatello sighed.

"No." Splinter snapped. "Our new lair will only have that for our friends. We will maintain the ancient traditions we have always maintained."

"Yes Master." Donny sighed.

"Sensei..." Gecko stirred slightly.

"Yes, Gecko, my son?" Splinter turned to the youngest member of his family.

"My head doesn't heart so much anymore." Gecko smiled.

"That is good." Splinter patted his fifth son's hand. "When we recover we move out with the shadows and locate a new lair in the labyrinth of New York's sewers."

"Morlocks won't be to happy." Leonardo said grimly.

"They'll live." Raph snorted.

**888888888888888**

**AN: Yeah the turtles can't seem to get a good stable house it seems, but don't worry by the end they'll be just fine. **


	5. Paladin

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Paladin**_

"I guess..." Gecko dodged a slashing blow from Depth Charge. "I just needed to realize it didn't matter how I fought, but why I fought."

It was a week after the turtles had lost their "new" home and they were still searching for another new lair. This time though they all knew secrecy was their greatest strength and they all agreed that allies would only be brought in through the Mass Device. The Turtles also realized several small things about themselves and with Splinter's blessings began to pursue other training methods outside the Foot Clan training they refused to let Splinter not teach them. Even Gecko admitted he might be willing to learn some martial arts, provided he was allowed to train his way. So it went that Leonardo and Michaelangelo both remained solid and complete ninja students, although Leonardo was taught more at a time than Mikey due to Mikey's constant cooking lessons from Roadblock. Raphael began his own solid training regiment that only he decided how it worked, and occasionally joined in the X-Men training sessions. Donatello however got the most secretive training as he would use the Mass Device every morning and vanish, Leonardo and Splinter were the only ones aware of his training with the Rhinox on Maximal technology. Gecko's training was the most unusual for the group, he decided to train in sword fighting and Depth Charge offered his services, which was what he was doing at that moment.

"Good job kid." Depth Charge smiled as he blocked a powerful attack from Gecko. "Might have to get you a claymore."

"No, no big swords." Gecko dodged Depth Charge's swing and leaped onto the dull edge of his tail-blade. "It's gotta be light and fast..." He flipped off the blade. "Like me."

Depth Charge let out a hardy laugh. "You're all right kiddo, you know that?"

"So you keep telling me." Gecko smiled as the two walked towards Xavier's Mansion. It was chosen to be their training grounds because of the wide open area, that and so Gecko could see Betsy after his training.

"Man..." Depth Charge groaned as his scanners picked up Karai's bio-signature. "_She's_ here..." The Maximals had not been happy about the truce with the Foot, and were very cautious in their agreement to join.

"Pfft..." Gecko blew a raspberry at the house, he too was unhappy about the truce, but minded Splinter's choice.

"Come on kid, let's get this over with..." Depth Charge said as he and Gecko approached the mansion.

As they approached Gecko saw that Karai was speaking with Professor Xavier and the older man was not smiling, but neither was he frowning. He then looked to Karai, whose face was as usual emotionless, at least until she saw him.

"The young knight." She smiled. "My father has a gift for you."

"No thanks." Gecko sneered. "I may be forced to work with you, but nothing can erase what your evil excuse for a father did to me."

"Sinister did that to you." Karai's eyes flashed with anger. "My father would never approve such experiments, he was supposed to be using animals."

"Key word: supposed." Gecko snapped, Depth Charge's hand quickly and softly smacked him in the head.

"Hold it in kid." Depth Charge reminded his student.

"Right." Gecko sighed as he rubbed his head.

"And take the damn gift." Depth Charge sighed. "Don't want to offend the Foot Clan."

"Right..." Gecko sighed again, closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I'll accept your father's gift."

Karai smiled as she looked up at the large robot. "You are wiser than you appear."

At that Depth Charge bent down and put his face right into Karai's. "Give him the damn gift and leave him alone." He stood back up and crossed his arms while looking down at his student with a smirk.

"Very well." Karai huffed as a Foot Soldier jumped from seemingly nowhere and presented a wrapped object. "When my father learned you were pursuing a path of chivalry he thought it was most amusing; but he also wishes to truly apologize for Sinister's deception. We honestly had no idea that he was experimenting on humans."

"What about the leather head." Gecko asked.

"Beebop and Rocksteady were never given particulars of his experiments, they thought the human "trials" were approved." Karai sighed. "In fact we have been pursuing Sinister since we discovered that your family was only one of hundreds. But away from the past..." She unwrapped the item to reveal a razor sharp longsword. "It may not be Japanese steel, but it is said that this sword holds a great power." She ran her hand along the edge of the blade carefully, she then knelled, lowered her head and offered Gecko the blade. "It is yours."

"Depth Charge?" Gecko looked to his teacher.

"It's ok kid. No tracers." Depth Charge smiled. "Not that it'd matter since you guys are staying with us."

Gecko took the blade with caution and swung it in the air a few times. "Nice balance..." He swung it again, "Light and sharp..." Gecko then looked to Karai with a single eye. "It can never make up for your father's involvement though."

"We know." Karai admitted. "He honestly thought you would fully refuse it." Karai smiled, "But I am glad you have taken it."

"Why?" Gecko asked as he took a sheath that the Foot Soldier gave him.

"Because it means you may yet, one day, forgive my father." Karai smiled as she vanished in a puff of smoke.

"I hate those things..." Depth Charge said as he scanned for her bio-sign. "They started putting something in them to conceal their bio-signs."

Gecko coughed. "I'm more with Donny, they're going to give us cancer..." He coughed again as a breeze blew the smoke away and Ororo came outside.

"Thanks Ms. Munroe." Gecko coughed. "I'm going to see what Betsy's up to."

"All right kiddo, nothing to naughty though." Depth Charge laughed as Gecko went inside, then he looked to Xavier. "What's up?"

"It seems that Release has done more damage to Oroko Saki than anyone had previously thought." Xavier said. "He's going in for emergency surgery tomorrow and the Misfits will be guarding the building publicly, the turtles from the shadows."

"Why, the guy's practically a saint to the public." Depth Charge pointed out.

"It seems the FoH and their new allies have begun targeting him and his employees." Xavier said. "I believe the Foot are beginning to understand the problems that mutants face everyday."

"Why would you say that?" Depth Charge asked.

"Because Karai has offered the Foot to protect me when I go to the peace rally the Planeteers are golding." Xavier said. "And from what I gather Hun and Tatsu would be among them."

"Think he's trying to get in on the good press?" Depth Charge asked.

"No..." Ororo said. "He's a man near death..."

"Repentance?" Depth Charge laughed. "Don't make me laugh."

"I agree, he is by no means repenting..." Xavier said, "I believe he's beginning to see a much bigger picture of this world than he did when he first came here..."

"I think so too..." A cold voice echoed from the trees.

"Oh jeez!" Depth charge sprung to action when he saw Release appear and immediately fired on the powerful esper.

"Oh come on Tin-Tuna! You can do better than that!" Release cackled as he launched a powerful bolt of energy at the transformer and sent him sailing into the manor, which cracked and tore as he fell into the building.

"Depth Charge to base, Release is at Xavier's! I need immediate backup!" Depth Charge spoke into his com.

"_Acknowledged!" _Dino-Bot's feral tone said. _"Back up en route!" _

"You will leave this property immediately." Xavier said defiantly.

"Really..." Release raised Xavier up with his telekinesis and suddenly created an immense heatwave near Xavier's body. "I think I'll kill you before you get into my head..." A sudden pain in Release's side made him drop Xavier and release his power on the heat wave. When he looked down he saw several large stingers in his side, he looked back up to see Waspinator reloading his gun.

"Wazpinator..." Waspinator frowned. "No like you fleshy bot."

"Well 'Wazzzpinator' can burn in hell..." Release gorwled as he ripped the stingers from his body and launched a fireball at the robot. It however was stopped by a powerful invisible shield.

"I don't think so." Jean Grey walked in followed by the X-Men and Gecko as well.

"Oh goody." Release laughed. "Target practice..." He lifted parts of the rubble and debris from mansion and focused them on the large group, then he focused and tried to release them, but they stuck in place. "What? Move damn you!"

"His powers are stuck!" Iceman smiled as he launched a powerful ice shard at the esper, who only caught the ice shard and melted it within his hand.

"Down, Bobby..." Release focused a spear of flame at the prankster and released it.

"No!" Iceman held up his hands to protect himself, but never received the attack. When he looked up Gecko was standing in front of him and his new sword was holding the fire at bay. "Thanks Gex..."

"Stop calling me that and we're even." Gecko grumbled as the flame dispersed.

"Oh, you are annoying..." Release growled at Gecko. "Time to die." A single pipe from the levitating rubble shot forward, but again Release's attack never reached it's intended target, this time because Psylocke stepped in and tried to hold the attack off.

"Betsy!" Gecko shouted as Release plowed the pole through her psychic barrier, it was deflected but the force of the blow dropped her to the ground unconscious.

"Oh, so she's special to you." Release smiled darkly. "To quote a hero of mine; 'Shall I give you despair?'" He readied another pole but was suddenly caught unaware by a growing power emanating from Gecko.

"You bastard..." Gecko growled, "She was trying to protect me..." Gecko's blade began to glow with a strange hue. "What is your problem anyway, do you just hate everyone, is that why you're doing this?"

"You're serious?" Release chuckled, "You wanna know why I'm doing this?"

"Yes?" Gecko asked.

"Because I can." Release smiled.

Gecko leveled his sword at Release like his dark counterpart had done earlier, "You are evil..."

"This is news to you?" Release laughed.

"And I won't let you hurt my friends..." Gecko spoke with meaning and did not growl as he usually did. "You will not hurt them anymore."

"You're serious aren't you?" Release smiled. "Ok then knight-boy..." Release seemingly dropped the second pole he had aimed at Betsy. "See iiiiifffff..." He looked immediately at Gecko and launched a large wooden splinter. "You caaaaaannnn..." Gecko readied his sword as the wooden spear neared him and swung only to miss as it veered to his side. "You CAN PROTECT HER!" The wooden projectile flew straight into Betsy's side and pierced with enough force to cause a large wound. "HA!"

The entire group was silent as Gecko dropped the sword and ran to her side. He took off his won shirt and tried to staunch the wound's blood flow, but he was failing quickly and the X-Men were rushing to her aide as well. As he held his hand against her side however, he couldn't help but pray to any just god for some small miracle, he knew he could not save her alone. As he thought this small prayer a powerful light passed from his hands into side and Betsy gasped back into consciousness. When he took his hand away though the wound was not healed completely, but he could see it was in far better condition than what Release had initially caused.

"What?" Release roared in anger. "You've got to be kidding me, a freaking PALADIN?"

"Whatever..." Gecko snapped as he picked up Betsy and made his way with her into the house.

As he ran though Release picked the blade up with his mind and tried to launch it at Gecko, however the blade caused his energy to backfire and Release went flailing backwards into the pool. When he surfaced more than few students were giggling. He was about to attack again, but the sound of Optimus and the Other Maximals approaching made him think twice.

"Keep laughing." Release sneered, "You'll need your sense of humor to get through my little war with you." He looked at Waspinator, who still had his gun aimed at him. "And you..." He telekinetically ripped Waspinator's chest plate wide open and began to squeeze the spark inside. "You will wish you could die when I'm through with you!" He tossed Waspinator into Depth Charge and vanished as he propelled himself through the air.

"Ohhhh..." Waspinator groaned as several students rushed to see if they could help. "Is little Betsy-bot ok?"

"She'll be fine..." Xavier said as Storm helped him back into his chair. "Thank you Waspinator, I don't know what he would have done if you hadn't intervened."

"Is everyone ok?" Optimus landed and Dino-Bot soon followed with Rattrap in his claws.

"I swear to you Vermin, if I am scratched in any way..." Dino-Bot froze when he saw Waspinator's condition. "That monster of a human is getting bolder Optimus."

"You ain't kiddin' Choppa-butt." Rattrap winced as he brought a large med kit over and began to repair his ally.

"I am afraid he is getting to bold." Xavier frowned. "He outright attacked us and injured a student rather severly."

"Who is injured?" Dino-Bot asked as he took a quick head count.

"Betsy." Scott said as he came back up from the infrimary. "She's going to be fine, Gecko did... something... and now the giant gash is just... a flesh wound."

"Magic?" Optimus asked.

"Faith..." Gecko said as he came up. "I don't know how to explain it..." He blinked as he picked up his blade and sheathed it. "I just prayed to anyone who would listen and..."

"You're a PALLY!" Perfection appeared and zapped a heavy suite of armor onto Gecko, who promptly toppled over in it. "Of course you're more of an agile sort..." He removed the armor and stood next to the mutate. "Never thought I'd see a pally in this universe."

"A what?" Depth Charge asked.

"A paladin." Perfection explained. "Think Kezqua, only less nature oriented, more light oriented."

"Doesn't that require dedication to a god or something?" Bobby asked.

"Yup, mostly." Perfection smiled. "And Gecko has rolled..." Perfection took out a gigantic die and rolled it along the ground, it stopped at the pool and Perfection looked over it to read off the name. "Well I'll be..."

"What? Who?" Gecko asked.

"You're a Paladin of Venus!" Perfection appeared next to Gecko dressed in the clothes of an ancient greek. "Grats dude!"

"Wait!" Gecko rubbed his temples, "How can I be a paladin of Venus, I haven't taken any oaths!"

"Well..." Perfection thought. "Have you made any promises to Betsy?"

"Other than I'd go steady with her, no." Gecko said.

"Made any promises in general, even with yourself?" Perfection asked.

"I promised myself I wouldn't let anything evil hurt my family and friends..." Gecko froze and swore so loudly and so long with so many words that it could only be described as a rabid fire stream of obscenities.

"We have a winner." Perfection leaned against Scott with a smile.

"Why is he swearing though?" Scott asked.

"Paladin's usually have to take vows of chastity." Perfection smiled.

"Does he?" Scott asked.

"No, just loyalty." Perfection kept on smiling.

"Do i have to tell him?" Scott asked.

"Yes." Perfection's smile did not waver.

"Why are you smiling?" Scott asked.

"Because I'm not the one who ate Kitty's granola cereal this morning." Perfection said.

"But I had eggs and toast..." Scott said.

"Then who..." Perfection stopped smiling as Gambit suddenly rushed past him while holding his own stomach.

"Ok, now I feel sorry for him." Scott said.

**888888888888888888**

**AN: Gecko is a pally! But it's not over yet, because the Turtles still need to find a lair. That's next chapter. **

**Toad: I'm still here.**

**So, enjoy the view.**

**Toad: I have been, but why is there no mention of my involvement in today?**

**What did you do?**

**Toad: I snuck in and switched Kitty's cereal with Gambit's.**

**Gambit: Why you little! clutches stomach in pain Oh... Gambit don't feel so good...**

**Toad: Of course it was meant to be Scott's...**

**Gambit: Oh... dhen you forgiven... but now Gambit is stuck here...**

**AN: rapid fire stream of obscenities **

**Toad: I think he's mad.**


	6. Lair

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Lair**_

"Come on Sir Knight, we're waiting on ya!" Raph called as he and his brothers climbed down the ladder of a deep and forgotten sewer line.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Gecko grumbled as he waited for the turtles, whom he now truly thought of as brothers, to clear the path of the ladder and slid down. He landed on his butt with a thud and stood up groaning. "Ow."

"Heh..." Raph smirked and helped the younger up.

"Come on guys." Leonardo said, "We're don't have much time."

"Or space." Mikey said. "I mean seriously the subterranean housing outlook in New York is looking pretty shallow." Mikey looked around cautiously.

"Well, it worked last time." Donny said with a sigh.

"Guys, we aren't just going to find a new lair because you complain about the lack of housing in the sewers." Gecko scoffed as he stepped on a loose pipe and fell through head first.

"Hmmm..." Mikey looked down. "Never insult Mother Sewer, she gives and takes at her will."

"Lesson learned..." Gecko groaned from below. "I think I hurt my spleen."

"Oh shake it off lizard-boy." Raph said as he hopped down and looked around. "I need a light down here Leo."

"Here." Leo tossed his brother a light and then joined him. "Hey, this looks a little like the old lair..."

"Yeah..." Raph said. "Think we found another abandoned tunnel?"

"It's possible." Donny said as he and Mikey jumped down.

"No it's not." Gecko said. "The old tunnels don't come up this far, this is something..." Raph found a large switch and flipped it. "Is something else..."

Before the turtles was a large open area that could only be described as the single perfect environment they had ever seen in the sewers. It was almost like a large stadium with several large doorways along it's side. As they explored the door ways they found several areas that could be converted to rooms, labs and training areas. They also found a large dissected sewer tube that creeped them out at first, but Mikey and Gecko quickly saw ways to turn it into a half pipe.

"Guys..." Raph smiled.

"I think we found home." Donny nodded.

"Not just yet..." Leonardo smiled.

"Right, we need to ninjafy it." Mikey laughed.

"Oh lovely..." Gecko goraned.

"Where's DM when you need a quick fix." Mikey laughed.

"Behind you." DM said as he walked in from a door that appeared from nowhere.

"Ahhh!" Mikey jumped in surprise. "Dude, we get enough of that with Splinter..."

"Well, I can have this place tech'd out in two hours." DM smiled.

"No." Leonardo said.

"But..." DM started.

"No, he's right DM." Donny said. "We need to do this as ninjas."

"B-b-b-but..." DM was crushed. "Me make things go boom..."

"No." Leo said sternly.

"But DM make things go boom..." DM pouted.

"Go play in a war zone..." Wraith scoffed as he too appeared and guided the emotionally scarred scion away. "Good luck you guys."

"Thanks." Mikey said. "We need tools."

"And I've got just the thing..." Donny smiled as he pulled out a small circular device and spoke into his com. "All right Rhinox, send package one over." Soon a box of tools appeared in the circle. "We got it, send the other packages over as directed."

"Dude, a mini-mass device!" Mikey laughed.

"Yup." Donny smiled as he began to sort the tools. "Let's get started."

It took almost four full days of work and Rhinox constantly sending supplies rations for the turtles to finally achieve their goal of a completely ninja made lair. It was made in the same fashion their old lairs had been, only now the technology that supported their security system was the rough equivalent of backwards engineered Cybertronian technology. Scanners lined the sewers for three miles in any path that lead to their lair, they would scan for any intruder and lock down all access points but one. This single access point was the Mass Device that all the turtles would have access to use if the alarms went off. None of the security measures were aggressive and meant only for stealth. Still, perhaps the thing the turtles were proudest of were the lock systems they made in the many doors. Each door had a specific combination that was composed of timing and rhythm matching with the sounds the pipes made, if the code was put in wrong that door would initiate the lock down. They expected to get locked out many times for the first few weeks, but they were willing to live with it for a while.

"Oh my god..." Gecko sighed as he collapsed onto the turtles couch. Xavier had been kind enough to buy them all new furniture, but they all insisted they wanted to buy their stuff from second hand stores and this particular couch was a cheasey leopard print couch they actually bought off of Shipwreck for cheap. "I never want to see a hammer again..."

"I'll agree to that..." Raph moaned.

"Oh... Master Splinter..." Mikey fell asleep standing before he could finish.

"I hope we get a few days rest." Donny yawned.

"I'd have..." Leo yawned. "No problem with that."

As the turtles fell asleep the Mass Device shined and several people came through along with Master Splinter. Logan, Hawk and Althea were all smiling as they grabbed a box that appeared shortly after. Splinter smiled as well as he sat in his new chair. The only piece of new furniture, something Xavier had insisted on was Splinter's new recliner, custom made to fit him. He watched his sons peacefully sleep, with only the occasional sleep threat at an invisible enemy from Raphael. Soon he looked at the clock and smiled as Hawk came around the corner with a huge thumbs up and then went back around the corner.

"My sons!" Splinter stood up and clacked his staff against the ground. The turtles jumped to being awake, except for Gecko who had proven he could sleep through an explosion. Splinter simply walked over and gently shook the young man awake.

"Splinter!" Gecko snapped awake. "We aren't finished!"

"It is perfect my sons." Splinter smiled.

"Awww..." The turtles all blushed as one.

"But, we must train." Splinter smiled, the turtles only grumbled as they followed their sensei.

"Morning training..." Gecko groaned, "Why'd I have to agree to morning training?"

"Because it's simple drills." Leonardo pointed out.

"Point taken." Gecko admitted.

"Oh man..." Mikey groaned as they rounded the corner to their training room. It was pitch black and the first thing Mikey asked was; "Who turned out the lights?"

"SURPRISE!" The lights flashed on and for the second time in almost a month the turtles had a house warming party. This time however April and Casey were not present and it felt wrong to the turtles, but they put on their happiest faces.

"April and Casey are on a mission." Hawk said as he held up a small portable TV. "But they send their love." The video played out with Casey and April wishing the turtles luck on their new home.

"Well, it's not the same with out'em." Raph sighed. "But I guess they love doing it."

"To April and Casey." Mikey offered a toast.

"To friendship and family." Donny offered his.

"To faith and fellowship." Leonardo said.

"To brotherhood." Raph offered his and the brother's turned to Gecko.

"To..." He thought on it a moment. "Being a TMNT."

"GOD I LOVE BEING A TURTLE!" Mikey shouted as Donny turned on the music and they all had a good time.

As the party came to an end though the Turtles were wide awake into the night. Eventually all their guests left and left a small mess for the turtles to clean up. They didn't mind though, they were just happy to have a new home. Then Donny decided to check his email

"Hey guys! We got an email from April and Casey, video!" Donny laughed.

"Oh!" Mikey hopped let me see.

"Me first!" Raph pushed past Mikey.

"Calm down guys." Leo said.

"They must really love those two." Gecko said as he plopped onto the couch.

"They are family." Splinter smiled.

"Oooooohhhh..." Gecko said. "I better get to know them then."

"SPLINTER!" Leonardo shouted, fear laced his voice, "Gecko!"

Splinter and Gecko both quickly made their way to the computer, a video was playing that had April and Casey hanging in a tree. To their side was a strange darkness that warped and Koxceg stepped out.

"Come and get'em Turtles and Gecko, I'm waiting." Koxceg growled. "I am sooooo waiting." Then the video ended with several coordinates given.

"My sons..." Splinter said. "Go swiftly, go as ninja." He turned to Gecko. "Go as a Paladin should." He quickly walked over to his room and came back with a small metal buckler. "It is not much my son, but it shall protect you."

"I don't doubt it Sensei." Gecko said as he took the buckler and gave Splinter a hug. He then turned to his brothers, "Let's get'em."


	7. Jungle Melee

**inter-LUDE: Paths of the Warriors**

**By THE Xenomorph (aka Xenomorph666)**

**Disclaimer: I own only Perfection and Wraith.**

**DigitalMan and K2** **are © My close friend.**

**Everything else is copyrighted to their correct owner.**

**Universe: Spliced-Verse (Misfit-Verse, Evil Dead, The Mask, TMNT, Captain Planet, Beast Wars, Jurassic** **Park)**

_**Jungle Melee**_

The turtles made their way through the forests of North Dakota with ease. The trees and underbrush almost seemed to be moving of their own free will, as if to help and guide them. In a matter of only a few hours they found themselves over looking the tree that their friend's were tied to.

"So what's the plan Leo?" Raph asked as they looked down on their friends.

"I don't know, something is not right." Leo looked over the area carefully.

"It's a trap." Gecko and Donny said in unison.

"Yeah, but what kind of trap?" Leonardo asked.

"Ten to one, he wants me..." Gecko said.

"Well he ain't getting' you." Raph said.

"Yeah, he is..." Gecko said as he flipped his board down from his back and leaped down from rock to rock until he was at the bottom. "I'm here, now let them get April and Casey!"

In the tree April stirred awake and screamed. "He's got help!"

"She's right..." Koxceg walked out from a portal of darkness, "I have some friends I want you all to play with."

Gecko tossed his board to the ground and unhooked his buckler and held it tightly, then he reached for his sword and pulled it free of his sheath. As it was pulled from the sheath however it began to glow furiously with a bright flame encasing the blade.

"Light versus darkness..." Koxceg smiled. "Paladin versus Blackguard..." He formed a black shield from his other arm and smiled. "How cliché."

"Why don't you just bring it so I can spank you again." Gecko smiled.

"Gladly!" Koxceg shouted as he charged. "Nobodies, attack!"

Several white creatures shot forward from the portal and were just as quickly brought to the ground by the turtles who instantly joined the fray. The turtles quickly learned their new enemies were powerful indeed, as well as flexible.

However the battle between Gecko and Koxceg was being won by darkness as Koxceg would not let up on his constant barrage of powerful blows. Gecko however would not let the blows pass and kept blocking them dutifully with his buckler.

"Gah..." Koxceg spun away from his original. "Defensive little brat! Attack me." Gecko got to his feet, and Koxceg attacked in a barrage once more, keeping Gecko on the defensive.

"Raph!" Leo shouted as his nobody wrapped it's body around Leo's arms.

"Comin' for ya!" Raph shouted as he dodged away from his Nobody's attack and cut the wraps around his brother's arm. The Nobody immediately screeched in pain and vanished.

"Thanks." Leo said as he tossed his katana past his brother and straight into the Nobody that was attacking Raph's flank. This Nobody also screeched and vanished. "You help Mikey."

"Got it!" Raph said as he ran to help his younger brother who was flailing wildly at the Nobody that simply dodged around his blows. Raph leaped upon the monster and placed a sai through it, causing it to screech and vanish as well.

"Whoa, they're like paper..." Mikey said as he helped Raph to his feet.

Donny however was fairing better than Mikey was as he had actually poked a hole in his Nobody. Leonardo then came rushing in, after grabbing his other katana, and sliced it to ribbons. The two brother looked at the body in awe as this one screeched and melted into dark puddles.

After that all four brothers quickly untied April and Casey. Then they turned towards Gecko and Koxceg and quickly surrounded the Nobody.

"No!" Gecko shouted as he saw his brothers. "This is between us."

"All right." Leo nodded and the turtles fell back.

"That guy is going to rip him to pieces..." Casey said.

"I don't think so..." April as she leaned against Casey. "There's something about his eyes."

"Determination." Leonardo said. "He's absolutely dead set against ever letting anything bad happen to us."

"Come on!" Koxceg as he flipped back and let Gecko get back to his feet. "You've got a freaking flaming sword and you can't even attack me!" He flipped forward and was about to bring his shadow blade to Gecko's head, but the flaming sword blocked it.

"It's called a Fiery Defender." Gecko said, a steeled look crossed his eyes as he pushed Koxceg's attack back and spun around fast enough to bring his tail lashing across the Nobody's face, leaving a long running scar.

Koxceg dropped his weapon in pain and grasped his head. "My face... what did you do to it?" Koxceg felt his face and saw the blood running freely. "No, my beautiful face..."

Suddenly a dark portal opened and Tilgihx walked out with several Nobodies. The Nobodies lifted Koxceg up and pulled him into the portal.

"It looks like you were the better candidate, we couldn't even get close to Destro." She laughed. "But seriously, I am impressed, Koxceg has been training non stop since you bloodied his nose." She went to go back into the portal.

"Wait!" Gecko shouted.

"Yes?" She asked without turning around.

"What was that thing that took control of us?" Gecko asked, his sword and shield at the ready.

"A new type of Heartless..." Tilgihx said calmly.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell us how they work?" Gecko asked.

"Let's just say the one you fought off wasn't "fully grown"." Tilgihx laughed as she entered the portal. "Ta!"

"So..." Raph said. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think it means they're some sort of parasite." Donny surmised as he punched in their coordinates to the Mass Device at the Pit. "But right now let's get April and Casey to Lifeline for some help."

"Yeah." Leonardo said as they grouped up and vanished. After they were gone however, a strange form stood on the plateau the turtles were at before.

"You were right to bring us here." A young man spoke as he set his shield down.

"So you-a finally decided to-a speak." A free spirited Italian voice said.

"Come on, we have to stay hidden." A softer more serious voice said. "We aren't supposed to be here remember."

"_Yes..."_ A telepathic voice said. _"Though I much prefer this world to ours." _

"Still a lot of fighting." A soft feminine voice said. "But here it's for a reason."

Two Japanese voices were heard arguing in the background.

"Did that puff ball eat their food again?" The serious voice asked.

"Maybe." The Italian voice sighed. "Let'sa just get back to the hide out."

8888888888888888888888888888888888888

**B**ack at the Pit though Casey and April were just getting checked out by Lifeline and Bree while the turtles made sure Splinter knew they had succeeded and that Gecko had won a tough battle against Koxceg.

Gecko however was bust chatting with Xi and Larry.

"So... What's in my future?" Gecko asked as the three sat in the grass of the Misfit Manor's front lawn.

"I honestly don't know anymore." Larry smiled. "My visions have stopped, it's like the future isn't written anymore."

"Well that's good, isn't it?" Gecko asked.

"Very." Xi said. "But at the same time not so much so."

"We have to watch our decisions carefully." Larry sighed. "Or else we could lock ourselves into a strand of fate we don't really want."

"Oh." Gecko said as he yawned. "Man, I didn't get see Betsy today."

"You were saving your friends." Xi said, "She'll understand."

"I know, but I really wanted to see her today." Gecko sighed.

"Well, you can still get there..." Larry said.

"Huh?" Gecko asked.

"Mass Device." Larry said.

"Splinter restricts our usage of it." Gecko sighed.

"Well, what about our Mass Device." Larry suggested.

"He cannot control that one." Xi added.

"You guys..." Gecko smiled. "Are kick ass friends."

"We are." Larry smiled.

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**I**n Oroko Saki's penthouse however, things were not going as positively. Saki was in great pain, even after his life saving surgery and he knew he had many months of recovery ahead of him , but he also knew he could not lead the Foot during that time, or even ensure the safety of his clan.

"Karai!" Saki called his daughter to his room. She entered in her regular street clothes, a red shirt and black pants.

"Yes, father?" She bowed at his bed while Tatsu and Hun stood on either side.

"For the next few months, Hun will be helping me recover. His training as a physical therapist will be most needed by me." Saki said.

"I understand father." Karai bowed her head.

"During that time..." As Saki spoke Karai feared his words, she thought he father was going to place Tatsu in charge. He was the obvious choice, a subordinate who never questioned a command, so when he finished she was shocked. "You will lead the Foot Clan in my stead." She noticed that even Tatsu was shocked by the news.

"Father?" Karai looked at Saki. "Are you sure?"

"I have been grooming you for this role for many years." Saki smiled proudly, "Much like the the Rat has groomed Leonardo. You are a natural leader my daughter, and these months will test that ability."

"Father." Karai said.

"You're only obligations during such time are to protect the Clan and honor such contracts and treaties as we have made." Saki said. "As for Cobra Commander, I shall deal with him directly." A chopper could be heard approaching from outside as Bebop and Rocksteady came in with heavy armaments. "He will see the need for this treaty one way or another."

"Yes father..." Karai said.

"Go, have furn for the night, you have earned it." Saki smiled.

As Karai exited Saki's room with dizzy elation she noticed Tatsu's unusual frown and inside she wondered if she would have to protect the clan from a threat that would originate from within. She honestly hoped she would not have to as Tatsu was a master beyond her level.

8888888888888888888

"**M**y face!" Koxceg screamed as he tore a mirror from the wall of darkness. "I'll kill him!"

"Is that genuine anger?" Reedglyx smiled.

"No..." Koxceg growled, "You know that."

"Just making sure." Reedglyx said.

"So who's the next target?" Koxceg growled as he felt the deep scar that ran down his face.

"We don't know." Tilgihx said. "Most targets are either to hard to reach right now or to powerful."

"What about that Release fellow?" Koxceg said.

"Naww..." Reedglyx said. "He's to unstable."

"As a human yes." Koxceg admitted, "But as a Nobody he'd run off of logic and not emotion."

"He's to deceptive." Tilgihx said, "But still, he has those personalities the would come in handy..."

"See..." Koxceg smiled. "We can fill the ranks in one fell swoop."

"Let's test him out first, shall we?" Reedglyx said as he opened a portal, on the other side was Release, who was turning around to face them.

"I wouldn't if I were you..." He glared evily at the portal. "I don't play fair or nice..." His glare turned to an amused look, "Still, I could use some entertainment..." He walked towards the portal.

"Close the portal!" Koxceg shouted and Reedglyx obeyed. "OK, maybe not him.

On the other side of the portal Release was standing in a store in Seattle where he had just killed several Foot Clan members, ones that had broken free from his brainwashing. He stood smiling over their rapidly decaying bodies, a power of one of his personalties, and smiled.

"I really could have used the practice too..." He said as he walked out and tore several parked cars from the street and threw them into the shop where the exploded in a fiery rage. "But for now... I think I'll check on Frost's little group..."

**888888888888888**

**AN: End of this story, it's going to pick directly in the next one. That'd be the Misfit story, which if I recall correctly I said would be a normal interLOAFERs story... Oh well, if it wasn't it is now. And see if you can guess who the new helpers are.**


End file.
